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The original Corn Market in Warminster's Market Place was opened in 1855 on the site of the Red Lion public house. The cost of construction was funded by Lord Bath.

In September 1919, the Longleat Estate sold off much of its properties in the town centre with lot 40, the Corn Market described by the auctioneers Waddingtons as "one of the finest sites in town for business purposes."

It was bought for £700 and in 1923 it was purchased by William Wall, who moved his garage business there from Weymouth Street.

It had been partially demolished and reconstructed with a small shop on either side and became known as the Central Garage.

One of the small shops was called the Central Fruit Stores, run by Clarrie Reynolds selling fruit and vegetables.

The central dyers and cleaners occupied the other shop in the 1930s. Later it was a florist run by Betty Harraway.

The garage sold and repaired cars and installed petrol pumps on the pavement.

Mr Wall held the Morris agency and later those of Riley and Wolsley.

When Percy Carr retired from his garage in George Street the Ford Agency was also acquired.

Coates Directory listed Wall's as one of 14 car and taxi proprietors in the town.

In 1947, John Wall took over the garage from his father.

In mid 1967 Tesco bought the site of the Central Garage, demolishing the old corn market with its corroding steel and glass roof.

They built a supermarket which opened in April 1968. This was later subdivided and occupied by Currys and Dixons, the latter now being the Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

9:41am Thursday 20th March 2008

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